


priceless

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: ALL THE GAY, Abuse, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bondage, Butt Plugs, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, F/M, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy Scares, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Content, Sometimes Fluff, That's right, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Vibrators, but not rlly, i think only burr and theo are str8?, more characters may be added!, there will be rape eventually but not soon don't worry, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-07-15 17:14:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 17,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7231531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You're born with a ring of ink around your wrist. Every pair or group of soulmates has matching rings, coming in all different colors and patterns.</p><p>The thing is, Maria's soulmate isn't James.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. from the moment i met you

**Author's Note:**

> note: this fic will feature scenes of non-con/rape and abuse. if that makes you uncomfortable, i will make sure to mention at the beginning of the chapter if anything bad happens. 
> 
> this fic will also feature many, many different sexualities, pronouns, and gender identities. if you have any questions on what any of those mean, just ask in the commmets and i will do my best to tell you!
> 
> also more soulmate aus!! im a slut for these honestly

Maria Lewis didn't really know what she was getting into attending this small, ratty college in the middle of New York. Hardly anyone attended G.W. College, and she was hoping to find relief in the close-knit community of the college.

That was hardly what happened. Even on the first day of orientation, she had already gotten sucked into a mess she didn't know how to get out of. 

As she was unloading her stuff out of her car, a boy walked up to her. He was fairly musuclar, defined jaw giving him an air of importance. His jeans had many holes in the knees, and he looked like the kind of boy you would sneak up the back steps instead of showing off to your parents. Maria set her box down, labeled _Books_ , and looked up at the boy. Maria wasn't exactly tall, and the boy wasn't exactly short. 

"Hey." He said. "You need some help with those boxes? I wouldn't want a little lady like yourself getting hurt on her first day of college. Here-"

Maria picked up the _Books_ box, along with another box in her trunk labeled _Stuffed Animals_. "I think I got this, thank you very much." She huffed while turning away from the boy, annoyance growing in her gut when he continued following her in the dorms.

"Hey!" He said, running to catch up with her. "I'm sorry. Really - I-I'm James Reynolds." He held his hand out to Maria's back. She turned and looked at him, a small smile painted on his face. She took the time to notice that his soulmate's mark - black x's - didn't match hers - red flowers.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, James. I'm Maria." She said as he sat down the boxes she was holding. They shook hands, James holding on long enough just to make it awkward. They stood in silence for a couple of seconds, James rocking back and forth on his heels. Maria suddenly picked up the boxes again, turning to the elavator. "Bye, James." She called behind her as she stepped in the open elavator doors. He went to catch her.

"What floor are you going to-" He asked, cut off by the doors closing. Maria sighed, asking the person next to her - they were short with a haircut styled to be androgynous - to press 5 on the panel of floor numbers. She was thankful for escaping James - he didn't seem like a bad guy, but they weren't soulmates and she didn't want to loop him in to something he (or she) would regret in the end. 

The soft rumble of the elavator soothed her as she rode up to her floor.

When the doors opened, Maria was greeted with none other than James. He smiled, and she dropped her boxes in surprise. The short haired person leaned down to help her, and Maria thought to ask their name. She was ignoring James.

"What's your name?" Maria asked as them as they placed a book back in the box. They looked up, startled, but answered. 

"Peggy. I'm androgynous and intersex, and I use ze/hir. What about you?"

"Maria. Biromantic and homosexual." Maria whispered as she smiled at Peggy. Peggy looked almost relieved at how well Maria accepted hir.

Peggy smiled back, standing up to get to hir business. "Have a good day, Maria!" Ze called as ze walked away.

"You too!" Maria called. She looked up and James loomed above her place on the floor - he didn't look happy.

"Who is she?" He asked, an air of accusation about him.

"Someone who was helping me get my stuff together." Maria shot back, annoyance from her gut creeping into her tone. "Why are you still following me around anyways?"

James scoffed. "I thought we could be friends, but whatever. I'll leave you to your business. He turned to walk away, and in that moment, Maria's mouth worked faster than her brain.

"Stay." She said, surprising herself.

James stopped walking and turned around, looking down at Maria while smirking. "I _suppose_ I can." He said. He offered Maria a hand to help her up, and she stood, immediantly pulling her hand from James'. He looked slightly hurt, but recovered, pointing at the boxes on the floor. "Need some help?"

She huffed. "Sure."

\---

After that day, James spent nearly every free moment he had with Maria. Which was fairly easy, considering all of their classes were in the afternoon. He would carry her books and binders, pay for her coffee, and listen to her talk about all her problems. She didn't dislike him, really, but sometimes she just wanted to be alone with herself. She finally asked him one day why he was doing what he was doing, after a straight week of him following her around.

"I..." He paused, laughing and looking up at the sky. "I like you."

Maria paused and panicked. "James, we're not sou-"

"I know, I know. But... well... fuck this whole soulmate business. I love you and I can't change it." He said it all in one rambling breath, looking at her with puppy dog eyes. His bottom lip was poking out slightly, and his face screamed " _Pleeaaseee?_ "

Maria took it all in. She didn't really like James like that, but she didn't see any problems in trying. When she met her soulmate, she figured she could break things off with James and there wouldn't be any hard feelings. Assuming she even met her soulmate at this dinky old college.

"Sure..." She said. There was an uncertainty in her voice, but James certainly didn't notice. He smiled and hugged her, Maria (slightly) willingly hugging him back. 

"Oh, Maria, I swear you're an angel. I'm gonna be the best boyfriend. We'll show everyone what we _really_ think of all the soulmate crap."

\---

And James really was a nice boyfriend for a while.

He didn't care that she usually wore old sweatpants and t-shirts to 90% of her classes. In fact, he would sometimes show up to their dates with sweatshirts and shirts for her that he had bought. She would wear them while they cuddled in his dorm, watching re-runs that James didn't actually like, but he watched them with her because it made Maria happy.

He would take her out for morning picnics, not even caring if she didn't wear makeup. He would shower her with compliments as she sipped her orange juice and nibbled on a pop-tart. James would playfully throw tiny oranges at her, and she would respond with middle fingers and throwing the larger oranges back at him.

He would let her cry in the middle of the campus cafe, _My (Espresso) Shot_ , if she was feeling panicked about an assignment or test. He would hold her and rub soothing circles into her back, ordering her as many sugary drinks and cookies as she wanted.

James Reynolds was very, very talented at fooling Maria into a false sense of security.

She wished she would've realized it sooner.


	2. with only the memories of when you were mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> every rose has its thorns. or maybe the rose is just all thorns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: abuse in this chapter! it's pretty brief and not too graphic, but just in case that bothers you. it's right at the beginning.

_He didn't care that she usually wore old sweatpants and t-shirts to 90% of her classes. In fact, he would sometimes show up to their dates with sweatshirts and shirts for her that he had bought. She would wear them while they cuddled in his dorm, watching re-runs that James didn't actually like, but he watched them with her because it made Maria happy._

"Wear this." James said, barging into Maria's room and tossing a plastic bag on the bed. He had been watching football in her living room, and she was in her bedroom studying for a test.

"Why?" She asked, looking into the bag. There were loose t-shirts, sweatpants, and sweatshirts in all various colors and patterns. "I wouldn't wear these in a million years, babe,"

He frowned, walking towards the bed. Maria instinctively leaned away from him when he reached her, but he grabbed her hair and close his other hand around her throat. She gasped, trying desperately to take in what little air she could get.

"You-" He said, "will do as _I_ say and follow _my_ rules, do you understand?"

She nodded frantically, tears running down her face. When he let go, she fell back on the bed and took a deep breath. He walked out of her room, and she frantically stripped out of her regular clothes and put on the clothes he had bought for her.

\---

  _He would take her out for morning picnics, not even caring if she didn't wear makeup. He would shower her with compliments as she sipped her orange juice and nibbled on a pop-tart. James would playfully throw tiny oranges at her, and she would respond with middle fingers and throwing the larger oranges back at him._

That morning James had pulled her out of bed by her hair, two hours befire she would normally wake up. Maria's head hit the floor, a loud crack echoing through James' apartment. She tried to get up quickly, but he kicked her down again, foot connectimg right in the center of her back. Her face was pressed up against the floor, smelling strangely like alcohol. when James bent down to whisper to her.

"We're going to go and have a picnic. And you're going to act like you love me, okay?"

She whimpered and tried to not as best as she could, pushing herself up and taking a deep breath when he moved his foot. If that was all she has to do today, well, it was better than the day he made her cough up blood because he had punched her so hard in the chest. She had fallen on the floor, landing on a glass bottle, and he simply laughed as little shards of glass had embedded themselves into her skin.

\---

_He would let her cry in the middle of the campus cafe, My (Espresso) Shot, if she was feeling panicked about an assignment or test. He would hold her and rub soothing circles into her back, ordering her as many sugary drinks and cookies as she wanted._

"Stop crying, you _bitch_." He whispered harshly as she let tears run onto his chest. She looked up at him. His eyes were cold and uninviting, and he really did look like he couldn't care less about Maria in that very moment. "What?" He said. "What are you looking at, slut? You basically asking me to _torture_ you when we get home tonight."

She looked back down at the table where three empty mugs sat, trying to make herself stop crying. _Why was she crying?_  

Because of college?

Because of _James?_

Because she knew that if James left her _she wouldn't have anybody to turn to?_

_\---_

Maria and James were three weeks into college. Classes were simple enough, food tasted alright, and there was never a dull moment when you went to the same college as Alexander Hamilton.

Maria noticed that he always has a bone to pick, whether with Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, or just some unlucky person who stepped into his line of fire.

It was always interesting watching him argue, however.

Unlike James, who constantly voiced his opinion on gay people (that they were "fucking sluts who need to go to church"), Alex never used any lamguage that was deragatory to men, women, people of color, or gay people. And after every debate, he would always ask the person if he said anything that made them uncomfortable. Maria admired that. She wished she could go talk to Alex, maybe strike up a friendship, but their classes never matched up. All of his were in the morning, while hers were all in the afternoon. And with James never leaving her side, she couldn't find time to sneak away between classes and find Alex. 

Until today.

It was lunchtime, and Maria was sat by herself (for once - James was sick with a cold) on the far side of the dining hall. She looked around for Alex, and saw him with a bunch of other people - sat at a table right near Maria, too. She saw Peggy, sat by some girls - one with long, dark hair, wearing a flowing, blue shirt that covered all the way to her wrists - the other had braided, dark hair, and was wearing a red tanktop. 

 _Fuck it_ , Maria thought. She stood up and approached the table, walking towards where Peggy was sitting. As soon as Maria was close, Peggy turned around and smiled, waving at Maria.

"Maria! Over here!" Peggy yelled. The dark haired girl shushed hir, Peggy still smiling wildly. When Maria sat down, Peggy pulled her into a hug. "I missed you!" Peggy said into Maria's shoulder. 

That's when Maria realized that everyone at the table was staring at her. A feeling of panic fluttered into Maria's chest as she took in the people around her. Two of the boys had dark, curly hair, one was pulled back while the other's hair wasn't. One boy, sat by Alex, had freckles - lots of em'. One boy, sat by the boy with the curly haired-ponytail, was wearing a dark blue bandana. The boy next to No Ponytail looked rather sickly. There were also two people sat by each other at the very end of the table, the boy's head shaved, while the girl had medium-length dair hair. 

"Umm.. hi?" Maria said, squeaking out the last word. "I'm Maria. Lewis, that is." She added as an afterhought.

"Pronouns?" Alex asked her.

Maria was startled. "Wha-"

"Pronouns? Like they/them, ze/hir-"

"Oh, no, I understand what pronouns are. She/her."

Alex smiled. "That's cool. Listen, I'm Alex, he/him, pansexual panromantic, this is..." And he went around the entire table, introducing everybody with their pronouns and sexualities. 

"Wow." Said Lafayette, the person with their hair in a ponytail. "Alex, way to scare her off."

Alex looked nervously at Maria. "S-sorry. I know it's a lot to take in, but-"

"Hey. It's cool. I'm okay with y'all." Maria said. Alex smiled at her before turning back to the table and talking again. Angelica, red tank top, leaned behind Peggy and Eliza to whisper something to Maria.

"Welcome to the gang of misfits."

\---

Maria walked as slowly as possible to her dorm after classes that day. She didn't want to see James and his jeans with the holes in the knees and _stupid_ jawline. She wanted to see Peggy and all her friends. Maria realized that unless she took James with her to the table, she couldn't sit with them anymore, either. James would have a cow if he realized who those people were.

As she stepped out of the elavator to go to her room, she remembered that Peggy was also on this floor, or at least someone Peggy knew. Maria walked past her own room, quietly calling out people's names that she remembered from earlier.

A man poked his head out of his room, curly hair flopping around. "Yes? Who's there?'

"Me." Maria said quietly. "I don't know if you remem-"

"Oh!" He said. "You're Peggy's friend. Come in, come in." He waved her inside his dorm. 

She recognized him as Thomas Jefferson as soon as she stepped into the light of his room. He looked tired, but not mad at seeing this random girl he barely knows in his dorm. "Do you need something?" He asked.

Maria thought for a second before bursting into tears. She dropped her bag and fell on Thomas' chest, his long arms cradling around her. "Shh, shh, it's okay."

She sniffed as she looked up at him. From what she knew of Thomas, he wasn't exactly a warm and welcoming person. But her she was, hugging Thomas as he soothed her. "I'm gonna get some ice cream, and you're gonna talk, okay?"

Maria nodded before being pointed in the direction of the living room. She sat on the couch as Thomas walked back in carrying a tub of chocolate ice cream and two spoons. "Here." He said, handing her a spoon. 

He sat down and looked at her. Maria took a breath before launching into her story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #thomasjeffersonisasweetheart2k16
> 
> i will have everyone introduce themselves with their pronouns and sexualities later! do not worry :)
> 
> also fUCK james reynolds man does he suck


	3. reynolds is a loser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thomas helps maria calm down bc he's a sweetie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> homphobic slurs!!!! in this one!!!! bc james is a piece of shIT!!
> 
> this is short!! i'm sorry friends 
> 
> also can any of you name the bloody bloody andrew jackson reference in this chapter title?

Maria took a breath before launching into her story.

"I'm Maria Lewis, and my... _boyfriend_ ," she said, making air quotes around the last word, "is James Reynolds."

Thomas scowled. "What is a nice girl like you doing with a lowlife like him? You deserve _sooooo_  much better, honey."

Maria glared at Thomas. He apologized, waving his hand, signaling her to continue.

"I mean, he's my "boyfriend", yeah, but we're not soulmates. He convinced me to try and love him. For a while, it worked... well, half-worked, I suppose. We would go on dates, watch movies, and he would even buy me little toys and trinkets," she pointed at her neck, "like this necklace. Then things got tricky. He would..." Maria paused, looking down as she was holding back more tears, and Thomas put two of his fingers under her chin, gently pointing her face up.

"Hey." He said, "It's fine. I won't judge you." He said softly.

Maria took a steadying breath. "He would abuse me. Break glass and hold me down on top of it, pull me around by my hair, and call me names and slurs. He never leaves my side, and when he is away, he constantly texts me and calls me and wants to know where I am." Maria's hands were clenched by her sides and Thomas gently pried them apart, letting her grab his hands instead. "And you know what?" Maria asked. Thomas didn't have time to respond before she yelled angrily,

" _I don't love him! He's a worthless piece of shit and I can't stand him anymore!_ " She yelled as she ripped off the necklace he gave her, throwing it across Thomas' living room.

The world seemed to slow down for Maria. She saw Thomas stand up and grab his phone, walking into the kitchen. Immediantly she wondered if she had overstepped and had scared Thomas away. She grabbed her phone, and groaned.

_33 Missed Calls_

_25 Messages From: James_

She opened the first voicemail he had left.

"Maria, where the fuck are you, you slut? You _said_ you'd meet at my room tonight with ice cream and movies! If you're out hanging with that faggot girl, Peggy, you'll be so sore you'll wish you'd never met me, bitch."

Tears were welling in her eyes as she listened to the messages. The texts were all the same, _Where are you?_ , _I miss you_ , _I thought you loved me_ , _I'm gonna whip you_ good _tonight_ , so on and so on.

Maria was so caught up she didn't realize that Thomas had sat down again. He touched her arm gently and she jerked away, then smiled when she saw who it was. "Thomas! Did I scare you earlier? I'm so, so sorry, I'll make it up to you-"

"Shhhh..." He said, handing her a spoon and the tub of neglected ice cream. She gladly ate as Thomas stood up to put a movie on, _High School Musical_.

Maria laughed. "Really? Are you thirteen?"

Thomas placed his hand over his chest, acting like he was offended. "This is art, Maria, have some respect!" He laughed.

He sat down by her again, grabbing a blanket and tossing it over the both of them. She snuggled into his side, and they ate as they watched the movie. After a while, Thomas paused it and he looked at Maria.

"Now that you're calmed down, I have some questions. One: can I invite my friends over? Just the people you met at lunch today."

Maria nodded. 

"Good. Question two: how long have you been dating James?"

"We met first day of orientation. It was about a week after when he asked me to try dating him. The abuse crap pretty much happened right away. So... in all, about three weeks."

"Mmhmm, question three: I heard on one of the voicemails - sorry for snooping - that he was going to make you _sore_? Is he raping you?"

Maria took a sharp breath in at the word _rape_. Thomas noticed and tried to apologize, but Maria shushed him. "No, he hasn't - yet. He's threatened to, but it's never gotten farther than me just being naked."

"Okay, question four: do you know who your soulmate really is?"

Maria shook her head. "No, but my mark is red flowers." She showed him her wrist.

Thomas gasped. "Eliza!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger ;) oooOOHHH i wonder what's gonna happen neeext?
> 
> comments! are! great! they! make! me! 500x! more! happy!!!!
> 
> in other news i now have a biography of jefferson, madison, and lafayette to read bc my love for america is never ending. even though laf is french woOPS


	4. i see the whole gang's here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> eliiiizaa's heeeerreeee yAAAAAYY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a happy chapter yaaaay! no warnings today :)

__Maria looked at Thomas funny. He was sitting beside her, mouth gaping open. "Thomas?" Maria prompted, "Who's Eliza?"

"Only your _soulmate_ , Maria! She has red flowers just like yours!" Thomas cried, throwing his arms in the air dramatically. "Everyone should be here soon. You can meet her! God, I feel like a teenager, obsessing about these two people meeting-"

"Thomas!" Maria said, throwing her hand over his mouth. "Calm. Down. Take a deep breath."

Thomas took a breath in but immediately expelled it as a knock rang through the apartment. Maria tried to grab his wrist to make him sit, but he just smiled and ran to the door, opening it widely. "Friends!"

"That is what we are, Thomas." Alex grumbled as he stepped inside, leading the parade of people. "Although you insisting that we all come over in the dead of night is _really_ pushing it."

Behind Alex came John, then Laf and Herc, James ( _Madison, not gross James_ , Maria thought), Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, Burr, and Theo. They all took seats around Maria, in chairs or on the floor, as Thomas sat down by Maria again. Peggy also took a seat by Maria, hir smile comforting to Maria. When everyone was settled, Thomas spoke.

"This-" he pointed at Maria, "-is Maria Lewis. I believe we all met her at lunch today." Thomas paused for a second, thinking, then he turned to Maria. "I can tell them what you told me, right?"

Maria nodded. Thomas smiled at her, gently taking her hand as Peggy took the other. 

"So," Thomas continued, "the reason why we're all here is because James Reynolds is a piece of shit."

A murmur of agreement arose through the gathered people in front of Maria. Alex groaned loudly.

"But- I though we all should introduce ourselves with our pronouns, sexualities, and marks. I'll start. I'm Thomas Jefferson, I use he/him, and I am polysexual polyromantic. My mark is purple hearts with Jemmy."

"James Madison, he/him, queer. Also- Thomas! You said you wouldn't use that nickname around our friends." Thomas kissed the top of James' head in apology.

"Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette, or just Lafayette, they/them, asexual panromantic. I have a solid grey line with Herc."

"Hercules Mulligan, he/him, demisexual demiromantic. I have... well, you heard Laf already."

"Alexander Hamilton, he/him, pansexual panromantic. My mark is green dots with John."

"John Laurens, he/him, homosexual homoromantic."

"Aaron Burr, he/him, heterosexual heteroromantic. Theo and I have yellow dashes."

"Theodosia Prevost, she/her, heterosexual heteroromantic."

"Angelica Schuyler, she/her, asexual aromantic. I have two solid black lines, as all people who are asexual _and_ aromantic do."

"Elizabeth Schuyler, she/her, asexual homoromantic. I have red flowers with no one." Maria took a second to admire Eliza. Her hoodie was a soft orange, worn with age, and her hair was in a messy bun. The chocolate colored wisps hung around her face, framing it nicely. Her eyes were brown, too, but a warm, welcoming brown. Maria was in love already.

Peggy talking interrupted her thoughts. "Peggy Schuyler, ze/hir, intersex and adrogynous, pansexual aromantic. I have blue stars."

"Maria Lewis, she/her, homosexual biromantic. I have red flowers." Maria looked down at Eliza where she was on the floor. Eliza looked up, too, and started crying immediately. Maria panicked. "Oh, dear, I'm so, so sorry, _fuck_ , _what did I do now_? Uhhh-"

"Maria!" Eliza said forcefully, stopping Maria's rambling. "I'm fine, just... really, _really_  happy right now." Eliza smiled up at Maria, and Maria smiled back. Eliza gently pried Peggy's hand away from Maria's and took it in her own. Eliza's thumb rubbed sooting circles across her hand. Everyone in the room _awweeed_ at the two girls.

Thomas clapped once and smiled. "Excellent! Now that we are all acquainted with Maria here, she can tell her story." He looked at Maria and she nodded, retelling what she had told Thomas earlier.

By the end of it, Maria and Peggy had switched spots, Eliza was in Maria's lap, Laf was crying and had their head in Hercules shoulder, and Theo had told Aaron at least fifty times that she loved him. It was an all-around emotional time for everyone. Maria could _swear_ she saw Thomas tear up a bit, too.

Alex and John had also finished the ice cream Maria had started with Thomas earlier.

"Any questions?" Maria said when she was done. Alex raised his hand as if he was in elementary school. "Yes?" Maria said.

"Do I have permission to talk about something that _literally_ just popped into my head?"

Maria looked at him funny but gave him the go-ahead to begin.

"Okay. So we have clubs here at school for people who have been sexually abused, people who are Christians, and people who are minorities, right? Well... why don't we start a support group for people who are LGBTQIAP+?"

"One thing-" Maria said, "-what does that stand for?"

"Lesbian, gay, bisexual/romantic, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/romantic/androgynous, and pansexual/romantic."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now- first, we need a sponsor. A teacher who will let us use their classroom as a meeting place. Any ideas?"

"Martha, obviously." John said.

"You mean Martha Washington?" Maria asked.

"Yeah." Said Alex. "So, if she'll let us use her room, we would now need enough people that would use this group. I can count all of us, which should be ten - sorry, Burr and Theo - and I bet there are other students on campus who would use it, too."

"A petition, perhaps?" James suggested.

"That would work. Then, we'll need to convince George. Which won't be hard."

"Wait, wait, wait, you're saying it won't be hard to convince the head of this college?" Maria asked confusedly.

"He's my adoptive dad." Said Alex. "Laf's, too."

Maria opened her mouth in an 'O' shape. "I see now. Then, yeah, it won't be hard."

"Exactly." Alex and Laf said at the same time.

"Well," said Angelica, "I vote that we all get leave and hopefully some sleep. One, it's 1:00AM, and two, we should let Eliza and Maria talk stuff out." Everyone agreed and stood to leave, John having to pull Alex up from the floor.

As soon as everyone had left, Thomas walked off to his own room. James followed him there - he had been studying with Aaron and Theo. "I'll be here if either of you need me!" Thomas called. He shut his bedroom door behind James.

Eliza turned to Maria where they were curled up on the couch. "I'll start." She said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any questions on what any of the sexualites/pronouns are just ask and i'll try to explain them as best i can. 
> 
> also i'm suuuuper excited bc i get to go to this music camp in july anD IM JUST REALLY HAPPY GUYS IM JUST ANANSHEHNSMSM


	5. through the night we have one shot to love another day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mariza sweetness! mostly...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was like "ah yes what should i call this chapter" and BAM i used yorktown bc why tf not. i thought "live" sounded too ~deadly~ and there is not death here so i changed it?? ya

Eliza took a breath, foldng Maria's hands between her own as she began to talk. 

"I'm Elizabeth Schuyler, sister of Angelica and Peggy Schuyler. My dad's name is Philip and he really doesn't care about any of us a whole lot. He buys us crap and pays for college but he's fairly absent. We all know he favors his sons - who are off in London doing God knows what. But, I have Angelica and Peggy and that's really all I've needed my entire life.

I really didn't know when I'd meet my soulmate. Most of my friends had already found theirs - John and Alex since high school, even. And when we all started going here, everyone else - Thomas and James, Burr and Theo, Laf and Herc - found theirs, too. And I really felt like the odd women out. And then I met you, and I was crying. I was crying because I'd found my other half and I finally had... _someone_. Someone who would love me, and when I say love, I mean _love_. Not sisterly or brotherly love, or platonic love, but _love_."

Eliza paused and took a moment to look at Maria. She had tears welled in her eyes and was cracking a half-smile of sorts. She lunged forward, catching Eliza by surprise, and wrapped her arms around Eliza's neck. She was crying - holy shit, _crying_ , Eliza realized - and whispering sweet nothings into Eliza's hoodie. Eliza simply held tight to her girlfriend, petting Maria's hair. 

When Maria pulled away, Eliza realized she missed Maria's warm presence, and Maria herself had streaks of tears down her cheeks. She was smiling and gently cupped her hands around Eliza's face, speaking softly. "God, sometimes you just wanna make someone feel loved, you know? A-and I wanna do that. For you, Eliza."

Maria leaned forward and captured Eliza's lips with her own. Eliza couldn't say she was surprised, as she easily relaxed into it, tangling her fingers in Maria's hair. Maria hummed happily and nibbled softly on Eliza's bottom lip, pulling a gentle moan from Eliza. Eliza pulled away to take a breath and took in the image of Maria - lips swollen and red, lipstick smeared, eyes dark and sultry. 

Eliza coughed and Maria gave her a confused look. "I'm asexual, remember?" 

Maria's eyes lost all signs of their lust as she stammered out, "Oh, _shit_ , I'm sorry, I didn't mean to force myself on you, _fuck_ -"

Eliza silenced her by placing a finger over her lips. "It's fine. I can take kissing, but anything more is just... nah. Not into it."

"I understand." Maria said. "Anyways, I suppose it's my turn to talk your ear off. I'm Maria Lewis, I have no siblings, but I do have a pretty cool snail named Luke. My mom and dad are pretty cool, they sacrificed a lot to make sure I got into this school. My "boyfriend" is James Reynolds, but he's not really my boyfriend. You heard my story earlier, I guess, so that's kinda covered. Uh... I like _Miranda_?"

Eliza gasped. "I love _Miranda_! Who's your favorite character?" 

"Anthony, obviously. He's such a _babe_. Jasmine and him _totally_ belong together. What about you?"

"Oh, I _adore_ Pippa. She's such a cinnamon roll." Eliza gushed. "And Daveed - _damn_ , he can rap like nobody's business."

\---

 _As the girls bonded over their shared love of_ Miranda _, something else was happening just outside Thomas' door._

\---

James Reynolds was pissed. His girlfriend, whom he hadn't seen all day, had stood him up. They were going to watch movies, but she never did show up. He tried looking around his floor, but no one knew where she was. 

It was 12:30AM, and James had had enough. He picked up his phone, taking notice that none of his numerous texts or voicemails had been responded to. She actually had the nerve to read his texts and not reply! Pushing the anger to the back of his mind, he used his Find My iPhone app to track her phone. She didn't know he could do this, but he had installed it for her safety, _obviously_.

After a minute or so, James' phone buzzed, telling him where she was.

_Thomas Jefferson's room?!_

James wasn't surprised. Of course the little _bitch_ would cheat on him. She's such a _slut_ anyways, she must be desperate for anything. Even a black guy's dick. Or two, considering Thomas' roomate was James Madison.

He grabbed his phone, slamming the door behind him, and quickly made his way to Thomas' room. 

The door was closed when he got there, but he could hear speaking from inside. It didn't sound male at all. In fact, it sounded like two girls - one was distinctly Maria. The other was sligtly high-pitched, and was softer compared to Maria.

James knocked. The talking ceased, and he heard one of the girls get up and walk across the apartment. A moment later, two sets of louder footsteps came closer to the door. It opened, and there stood two men.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison themselves.

"Yes?" Thomas asked. He and James were both frowning. "Do you need something, you ass-cactus?"

"I'm here for Maria." James said angrily, trying to push past the two men in the doorway, but failed, as they were both taller and stronger than he was.

"Maria," James Madison said, "is currently preoccupied. And if I were her, I wouldn't want you coming to get me."

"She's _my_ girlfriend!" James Reynolds said.

"She doesn't _belong_ to _anyone_!" Thomas said, slamming the door shut. The lock clicked. James heard the two men walking away from the door. He heard Maria crying, and the other girl (who he didn't have a chance to see from James and Thomas being in the way) talking sweetly to her.

James growled and punched the door, walking away angrily. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> funny story - we had to take one of our cats to the vet today and hE WEIGHS 19 POUNDS WE CALL HIM BOWLING BALL FOR A REASON JESUS C H R I S T


	6. Oh No™ pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there are slurs/almost rape in this chapter!!!

Eliza was just about to launch into a speech about how Jonathan Groff and Lin were _totally_ dating when a loud knock rang through Thomas' apartment. Eliza looked at Maria. "Should I get Thomas?"

Maria nodded. Eliza planted a quick kiss on Maria's cheek, standing to find Thomas. She walked out with him a minute later, James following behind. Eliza sat back down on the couch, Thomas and James opening the door.

Maria could barely make out what they were saying, but she heard an angry voice that sounded awfully familiar.

_You're such a slut, it's no wonder your soulmate doesn't want you..._

_If I hear one more noise from you, bitch..._

_Fuck you, asshole. You're such a slut, you bitch, I should bend you over this table and..._

She shut her eyes and turned away from Eliza, static noise filling her ears. Tears spilled down her cheek, and she jerked upright at the sound of the door slamming shut, a loud punch to the door following it. Maria let a broken sob rip itself fom her throat, feeling like her skin was tearing. 

"Maria, darling? It's me, Eliza." Eliza whispered. "Can I hold you?"

"Do you _want_ to hold me? Me - someone who's broken and dumb, and can't get anybody to love them." Maria choked out between sobs. She hated how James' words got to her, and how they could tear down walls she had built up for years. 

Eliza scooted closer to Maria and tentatively put her arms around the crying girl. Maria leaned into her touch and her crying stopped for a moment.

This entire time, James and Thomas had been awkwardly standing at the edge of the living room. They eventually snuck off to find more ice cream, coming back with spoons and small cardboard containers. Thomas sat beside Eliza and James slotted himself in between Thomas' legs on the floor.

"Hey." Thomas said. "You alright?"

"Yeah," said Eliza. "Just shit about James." She said as she soothingly rubbed Maria's back. Maria was curled into Eliza.

"We're here for you, Maria." James said. "Let's watch a movie."

\---

It was now 5:00AM. The four of them had watched The Bee Movie and Foodfight, and had fallen asleep in the middle of some Barbie movie. Maria stirred first, still tucked into Eliza's chest. Eliza was breathing steadily, and at some point James had moved from the floor into Thomas' lap, as well.

Maria untangled herself and silently snuck out of the room, snagging a small orange from the bowl on the counter as she left the apartment. The floor was quiet as she nibbled on her orange, and she could see light spilling out from under James' door at the end of the hallway. It sent a queasy feeling into her stomach to see it, but she needed to explain what had happened. Maybe, _just maybe_ , if she told him about Eliza, he would understand.

As she walked up to James' door, she began to think in her head of what she could say.

 _Hey, I know you might be_ suuupeer _into me, but I really don't feel that way..._

_James, I found my real soulmate..._

_Fuck you, James, I don't need you anymore..._

She knocked and the door opened almost immediately. James stood there, bags under his eyes deep enough the join the black parade, hoodie stained with... _blood_? His hands were dirty, too.

He sneered when he saw Maria standing there. "You came back? Thought you were off canoodling with Thomas Jefferson last night."

Maria forced out a laugh. "Sorry about last night. I..." She took a breath. "I got panicked about some test and needed someone to talk to."

"You can come to me, you know that." James said. He sounded sad, but Maria knew he was playing it up for her. She'd learned all of his tricks.

"Actually," Maria said, "I have something I need to talk to you about. Can I come in?"

He moved out of the doorway and waved her in. She tossed her orange peel in the trash can and sat on the couch. He sat beside her and looked at her questioningly. "What's happening?"

"I found my soulmate." Maria blurted. Her head buzzed and she felt dizzy when the words spilled out, and she looked at James, waiting for a reaction.

James laughed. "Seriously? C'mon, Maria, you're joking."

"I'm not." Maria gritted out. James looked startled before he got the message.

"No... no, Maria, it's me, right? You and me?" He sounded weak and there was an undertone of disbelief to his words.

"I'm not kidding, James." Maria said. "Sh- he's my soulmate now. He." She clarified.

James looked like he was about to cry before he started smiling. He stood, laughing as well, making himself taller than Maria, and grabbed her chin forcefully. "I know who you're talking about. The girl you were with last night at Thomas'." He tightened his grip. " _Who was it!?_ " He yelled.

Maria whimpered. James pushed her off the couch onto the rough floor. Her thin shirt caught on the edge of the coffee table and ripped down the middle, revealing her chest. She wasn't wearing a bra.

He laughed and roughly grabbed her hair, pulling her up. "I'm gonna ask you again," he said. "Who is it?" He said, much more calmly than before.

"Eliza-" she whispered, but she was cut off by his other hand tightening around her throat. Her vision blurred as he dragged her up and down the hallway to his bedroom. 

Maria freaked out. He hadn't ever raped her, just abuse, and she worried about what he was going to do.

_What if he did rape her?_

_What if he didn't use a condom?_

_What if she told Eliza and she didn't love Maria anymore?_

James kicked the bedroom door open and threw Maria on the bed. He quickly pinned her down with one hand, and with the other he pulled off the remains of her shirt. When that was gone, he went to work pulling down her simple athletic shorts. He pulled off her underwear in the process, leaving a clothed James laying on top of a naked Maria. There were red scars down her leg from where his fingernails had raked down her trying to pull the shorts off.

She was reduced to whimpers and screams as James had her pinned down. He laughed and teasingly rubbed his fingertips down her stomach. When they reached between her legs, she jumped, body trying to gain friction on his fingers. 

 _No_ , she told her body, _you don't want this, stop!_

"You still want my fingers, don't you? _Slut._ " He said, pulling his fingers away. She moaned involuntarily as his fingers instead grazed her nipples, pinching slightly.

"Hm, bitch? You like tha-"

James was cut off as a pair of hands grabbed his waist and pushed him to the floor, a couple of kicks landing square in his jaw.

"Fuck" _kick_ "you" _kick_ "ass" _kick_ "hole!" _kick_

As soon as the person was satisfied with the damage, they looked to Maria. She has wrapped the blanket on the bed around herself. It was one she had gotten for James, a pattern of tiny turtles across it. 

"You okay?" The person asked. As soon as Maria was (moderately) calmed down, she focused her eyes on the person.

"J-John?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got bored and wrote this haha yikes
> 
> it's suupeeerr bad sorrrry


	7. we'll make the world safe and sound for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> little bit of a filler chapter. just some resting for maria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> groupchat names!
> 
> alex: hamtheman  
> john: twopints  
> herc: gercules  
> laf: frenchy  
> jeffs: kindacool  
> mads: kindacool2  
> burr: coolerthancool  
> theo: thebest  
> angie: angel  
> eliza: cinnamon  
> peggy: shots  
> maria: itme

Maria shuffled backwards on the bed when John tried to approach her. He sighed and let him arms flop to his sides. "Do you want me to get Eliza?"

"...Yes." Maria said quietly after a moment. John turned to leave and she sat forward on the bed. "John?"

"Yeah?" He said. He sounded tired. Maria quickly snuck a look at the clock on the bedside table. It was 6:00AM.

"I don't wanna stay here anymore." She mumbled.

"Where's you room?"

"A little farther down the hall."

"Can I carry you?" John asked tentatively. 

Maria reluctantly stood up, nearly falling into John. He supported her and gently picked her up bridal style, walking slowly through Reynolds' apartment. She instinctively curled her face into his chest. John's heart reached out to Maria. He knew what it felt like to be abused and beaten by someone, and how it felt to have someone beside you, helping you through everything.

He paused in the middle of the living room, grabbing his phone out of his pocket. 

"Eliza? Yeah, it's John." John said into his phone where it was balanced between his head and shoulder. "Listen, I have Maria with me, Reynolds did some shit, and she wants to see you. Her room is a little ways down from Thomas'. Thanks." John paused again to hang up, slipping his phone into his pocket again. He looked down at Maria - she seemed to be nearly asleep on his chest.

John quickly carried her down the hall, she was still naked after all. Luckily, her room _was_ close, and John saw Eliza wandering around outside Maria's room. 

"Eliza." John whispered into the quiet hall. She looked up and her jaw dropped when she saw Maria. Eliza rushed forward, immediantly grabbing one of Maria's hands.

"John - what happened?" Eliza asked, panicked.

"I'll tell you in a minute. Open Maria's door, please. The one down there." John walked behind Eliza as she found the room. Once the door was opened, he stepped in with Maria. "Thanks."

Maria looked around, squinting at the lights as Eliza turned them on, rushing into the kitchen. John laid her down on the couch, laying another blanket over her. Eliza came back with an ice pack and some clean clothes she found in Maria's room. As Maria settled on the couch, she slipped on her underwear and a t-shirt so she was at least partially covered. Eliza sat down by Maria's feet and John sat on the floor by Maria's head.

Eliza spoke first. "Maria, darling? What happened?"

"James, he-" she hiccuped and a stray tear ran down her cheek. "-he r-raped-" she sniffed and coughed, tears steadily leaking now. Eliza soothingly rubbed Maria's ankle as John braided her hair. 

"Stop, stop, it's fine, babe." Eliza whispered, shushing Maria quietly. "You can talk when you're calmed down. Get some rest. Do you want one of us to stay here? I have afternoon classes, and I think John has morning." John nodded. "But me, Angie, and Peggy all have afternoon classes. I think Herc and Laf do, too. We could all switch out throughout the morning until lunch, and then John and Alex, Burr, Theo, Thomas, or Madison could hang around throughout the afternoon. I can get notes from your classes and we can bring you something from the cafeteria later."

Maria nodded and grabbed a pillow from the end of the couch. She curled around it and closed her eyes.

Eliza looked to John. "Get the groupchat up and going. We'll set up a schedule."

 

 **twopints:** hey guys soooo maria has had a thing happen and she meeds to rest in her room. we're gonna set up a schedule for people to check on her throughout the day

 **twopints:** eliza will stay for a while, around 7:00, then we'll have peggy for an hour, angelica for an hour, herc, and then laf.

 **twopints:** eliza- now to 7:00, peggy- 7:00-8:00, angie- 8:00-9:00, herc- 9:00-10:00, laf- 10:00-11:00

 **twopints:** then, we break for lunch, and i will bring back food for maria and stay until around 1:00.

 **twopints:** john- 12:00-1:00, alex- 1:00-2:00, burr- 2:00-3:00, theo- 3:00-4:00, madison- 4:00-5:00, jeffs- 5:00-6:00

 **twopints:** at around six we'll all meet at maria's room and chill and watch movies

 **twopints:** any objections?

 **shots:** other than you waking me up at this ungodly hour, no

 **gercules:** naw

 **frenchy:** non

 **hamtheman:** negatory

 **angel:** nah

 **coolerthancool:** no

 **thebest:** no!  <3

 **kindacool:** non

 **frenchy:** ur not french shut up

 **kindacool2:** can we ask her about what happened?

 **cinnamon:** if she feels comfortable telling you, then yes. if she doesn't want to, don't press it

 **kindacool2:** gotchu fam

 **twopints:** okay! see y'all around 

 

John looked up from his phone to see Eliza curled up at the foot of the couch. He smiled and stood up, waving to her as he left Maria's apartment. He let the door close with a soft _snick_  and assessed the situation.

_Reynolds : unconscious? Should check on that._

_Maria : okay. Needs some recovery._

_Everyone else : has their scheduled time._

Good. He walked down to Reynolds' room and noticed he hadn't closed the door. He must still be knocked out. John closed the door, walking down to his own room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> maria is so sweet and precious why am i doing all this crap to her


	8. i have some friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> little snapshots of maria's morning with her friends. featuring miranda: the musical.
> 
> all. fluff. iiiiiii'm not sorry.

"I'm glad you're here." Maria whispered to Eliza as soon as John had left. 

"I'm glad you're okay." Eliza said as she moved herself to lay beside Maria. Maria curled an arm around Eliza and petted her absentmindedly. "I don't know if you know, but we've got a schedule set up for people to come and visit you throughout the day. John's bringing you lunch later. I can add you to the groupchat so you can see the schedule."

 

 **cinnamon:** hey all

 **cinnamon:** i'm adding maria just so ya know

**_cinnamon added itme to chat_ **

**itme:** hey!

 **shots:** AAAYYYYYYY

 **frenchy:** it is dearest maria! how are you mon cher?

 **itme:** pretty good. got eliza beside me so everything's okay

 **cinnamon:** <3

 **itme:** <3

 **twopints:** what will you want for lunch?

 **itme:** pizzaaaaaaa

 **hamtheman:** see john SOMEONE understands me

 **itme:** pizza is a universal sign of affection

 **angel:** in america we don't say "i love you" we say "buy me pizza" and i think that's beautiful

 **gercules:** woAHWOAHWOAH

 **kindacool:** ANGIE USED A MEME HoLyJeSuS

 **hamtheman:** IM WHEEZiNg

 **twopints:** alex fell off the bed dear god

 **kindacool:** you called?

 **twopints:** alex says "shut the up macaroni noodle"

 **kindacool2:** shut the up?

 **kindacool:** i may have at one point owned twenty cups of microwave mac n cheese

 **gercules:** and?

 **kindacool:** that's it

 **gercules:** oh

 

Maria looked away from her phone and watched Eliza laughing. It send a warm thrill into her heart, the way Eliza's laugh was soft and gentle, but it was still the kind of laugh that made _you_ want to laugh along as well.

Eliza looked up and noticed Maria staring, her cheeks tinting red, but Maria simply smiled and ruffled her hair. "I love you, ya doof."

"Love you, too." Eliza said, leaning into Maria's touch.

\---

After around an hour, a knock came from the door. A second later, Peggy burst in, the door slamming the wall when it was opened. "I'm here!" Ze cried.

"I hear you," Maria said, laughing. "Eliza's here, too."

"Hey, sibling."

"Is there not a gender-neutral word for your brother or sister?" Peggy inquired.

Eliza shrugged. "Google it."

Peggy pulled out hir phone and typed quickly. Ze perked up and began to read. "Sibster?"

Eliza laughed. "Yes, "this is my sibster, Peggy"." Suddenly, she tensed next to Maria for a second.

"What is it?" Maria asked.

"I have a date with my friends in ten minutes. _Shit_." She stood up and quickly gathered her things, pressing a kiss to Maria's forehead. Eliza turned to Peggy. "Don't hurt her. I want my girlfriend in one piece."

Peggy stood straight and saluted Eliza. "Yes, ma'am."

Eliza rushed past Peggy and scrambled down the hallway. Peggy turned to address Maria and smiled. "Guess who brought _Miranda_?" Ze said, pulling a CD out of hir bag.

Maria frowned. "What's that?"

Peggy laughed, striding to the CD player and popping in the disc. "Only the _best_ musical, ever!" Ze quieted for a second. "Don't let Alex know you've never listened to it. He'd insist on also making you watch _1776_. He made us all watch it one night. I swear, the one song about howDaveed raps in still stick in my head."

"Isn't _Miranda_ about the first Secretary of the Treasury?" Maria asked.

"Yup." Peggy responded. Ze had rushed into the kitchen to grab snacks - mainly fruit snacks - and was back on the couch by Maria. "And we're gonna listen to the _entire thing_. All two-and-a-half hours of it."

Maria sighed, pressing play on her old CD player. The opening music started, the man playing Leslie Odom Jr starting the song. Peggy jumped around on the couch, dramatically mouthing the words.

\---

When she walked into Maria's apartment, Angelica was expecting Maria to be asleep, the person watching her sat in a chair and maybe listening to music. She was not expecting Peggy to be on the floor, legs up on the couch, crying, Maria on the couch, hugging a pillow, also crying. Peggy was singing, but it was garbled considering ze was crying.

"Wha-" Angie started. Peggy shushed her until the song was done. When it was done, Peggy pressed pause and gestured to Angelica. "What in the hell is happening?" 

" _Miranda_. Maria's never listened to it." Peggy explained. Angelica gasped and rushed to the living room. 

"What song are you on?"

" _Dear Tobillo_."

Angelica gasped. "That one _always_ makes me cry! I mean, it's about his dog who was named _ankle_ of all things, but still! Do you like it, Maria?"

Maria nodded, still collecting herself from her crying about Tobillo. "Y-yes, it's so _good_."

Angelica smiled. "If you wanna head out, Pegster, I can take it from here."

Peggy stood up and grabbed hir bag, hugging Maria on hir way past. When ze was gone, Angie smiled at Maria, a glint in her eyes. "Let's listen to _Miranda_."

\---

Another hour passed, and the rest of _Miranda_ was listened to. When Herc walked in, he was greeted by two girls, full on _sobbing_ into the couch, while a chorus of people closed a song.

"I cannot handle girls." Herc said sadly. Angie looked up when she heard Herc and smiled. She nudged Maria, and she looked up as well. They both smiled.

"Don't worry," Angie said, "we're fine. Mostly."

"Explain?" Herc asked tentatively.

"First, there was a song about burning bootlegs, called _Burn_ -" Maria started.

"Then Tobillo got hurt and there was _Bite Us All Away_ , then _It's Kibble Uptown_ -" Angie said.

"Then Leslie shot Lin and he did a really dramatic little speech and _died_ -"

"Then they all sang about legacy and stories."

" _Miranda_?" Herc asked.

"Yup." Maria said.

"Great." Herc mumbled. "You can bounce if you wanna, Angie."

Angie left soon after, waving to Herc and Maria as she walked off. Herc closed the door and faced Maria. "I don't know what to do."

"You could listen to _Miranda_ with me again.." she said in a sing-song voice.

\---

And so he did. In the next hour, they both listened through act one again. Herc wanted to deny it, but he really, _really_ liked _Miranda_. It was all Alex's fault, he claimed.

When Laf walked in, Maria was laid across the couch, Herc on the floor beside her. They admired the scene before announcing their arrival. "Lafayette is here!" They proclaimed.

Herc jumped and Maria looked to the door, relaxing when she saw Laf. "You doofus," she mumbled as she helped Hercules up. He smiled when he saw Laf, walking quickly to hug his datemate. Maria _awweeed_ when they pulled away, Herc blushing as Laf just smirked.

"What are we doing?" Laf inquired. Herc just groaned as Maria smiled excitedly.

"We listened to _Miranda_!" 

"The second time for her today." Herc said. "She basically knows all the words already."

Maria took a breath. "HOW DOES A BASTARD, ORPHAN, SON OF A WHORE-"

" _Lalalalalalala_ ~" Herc sang as he ran out of the apartment.

Laf stared after him, shrugging their shoulders. They turned to Maria. "Can I open a window?"

"No, no, no! Too many flies." Maria complained, adding a groan to the end. "It _is_ hot, but I can't stand bugs of any kind."

Laf plopped on the couch beside her, slipping off their shoes. "Where are you at in _Miranda_?"

\---

 _Another_ hour passed. In that time, Laf and Maria had both cried multiple times. In reality, there really wasn't a reason to cry most of the time.

When the last chord rang through the room, Laf gently dabbed away the tears that had streaked down their cheek and checked the time. "Shit! I have to go eat." Laf exclaimed loudly. Maria whined when Laf's warmth left her side, but they quickly hugged her and rushed out.

Maria sighed, checking her phone as well. Reynolds' had only left her one text.

 

 **pieceofshit:** it's you and me, maria. _just you and me_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i made a 1776 reference if you caught those noice
> 
> also comments!! are!! great!! i actually screenshot them and look at them when i'm sad if that's not totally creepy.


	9. it's a blur, sir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> p a n i c

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so bad and i'm really not happy with this fic in general sorry

James Reynolds' eyes opened slowly. He winced as the fluorescent lights assaulted his vision.

"What the fuck happened?" He moaned. He vaguely remembered some kid kicking him into oblivion when James tried to rape Maria, and then his memories blacked out after that.

He also remembered a name. _Eliza_.

Maria had whimpered her name. She must be Maria's soulmate. 

James sneered with his eyes still closed. "Eliza, hey? So _she's_ the girl who seduced Maria."

He tried again to open his eyes, successfully not going blind from the lights. He winced again as he sat up, pulling his shirt up to see numerous bruises peppering his stomach. They were dark blue and angry, and hurt when he pressed down on them.

James, being the evil asshole he is, suddenly had a terrible, terrible idea pop into his head:

If he couldn't keep Maria away from Eliza and her faggot friends, he would have to keep the fags away from Maria.

James also knew that he would have to take extreme measures.

\---

Maria tensed when she read the text. She was tempted to call John and ask if he could come over now, but she didn't want to inconvenience anyone. And she wanted her pizza.

She simply shut her phone off, sighing, and leaned back into her couch. She grabbed a small plastic package of fruit snacks, picking out all the orange and yellow ones. As she nibbled on the reds and purples, she thought about the text.

 _Just you and me_.

But what would that mean? Reynolds certainly wasn't a serial killer, intending to kill all of Maria's friends - maybe _Eliza_ \- just so he could have her. That's _crazy_. Maybe he just wanted Maria to himself. 

She sighed, standing up - _too fast_ , black spots in her eyes - and slipped on a pair of socks. And shorts, when she remembered she was still just wearing underwear. She looked around for a second, spotting a pad of sticky notes on her coffee table, and scribbled a quick note to John in case he showed up early and she wasn't back yet.

As she stuck the note to a pillow, _out for a moment, see you later_ , she padded through her apartment until she reached the door. She slipped into the hallway, closing her door softly. She noticed that Reynolds' door was closed - had he woken up from John's beating?

She shook her head, _stop worrying._ As she walked down the hallway, she absentmindedly hummed a song. It was most likely from _Miranda_.

When she reached his door, she raised her hand to knock, pausing when she remembered the door was probably unlocked.

It was.

When she opened it, she gasped. The couch was flipped upside down, blankets strewn about every which way. There were bowls of half-eaten ramen stacked on the table, numerous cans of soda crushed beside it. A stack of articles was balanced on the coffee table, too far away for Maria to see what they were about.

"James?" Maria called. "Can we talk?" She slowly walked through the apartment, avoiding stepping on the opened candy wrappers. He _really_ made a mess, she noticed. Whatever he was doing was taking up a lot of his time.

As she walked, she slipped into the kitchen for a second. A set of knives was sitting on the counter, polished and sharpened. Next to those, there were plastic baggies labeled with names of organs - heart, lungs, and even _veins_. Her mouth gaped and she rushed out of the kitchen. When she saw a shadow walking towards the dining room, she bolted out of his apartment. She tried to catch the door and close it - _damn it_ , she missed by an inch. 

As she ran down the hallway, she saw John approaching her room. He was carrying a to-go container, grease soaking through the bottom. She ran to him, and he looked up when he saw her. His eyebrows raised and she shushed him as she unlocked her door. When they were inside, she was breathing heavily. John handed her the pizza and she quietly said "thank you". 

After a moment of frantic pizza-eating, John coughed. "So... what was that?"

Maria groaned. "Can I eat?" She said around a mouthful of pizza.

John grabbed her pizza, holding it above his head. " _Talk_."

"Come here." She said, walking to the kitchen. John followed, and she pushed herself up on the counter to talk. He leaned up against the opposite counter. "So I get this text from James-" she showed John, "-and I immediately get all panicked and nervous. So I go to his room, and his door's unlocked. I go in, and I don't see anyone, so I call his name. No one answers. I go into the kitchen and I see on his counter knives and baggies labeled with names of organs." She rambled out in one breath.

At this point John's mouth is gaping open as he takes in what she's saying. "Knives? _Organs_?!" He cries. "We need to tell someone!" 

"I agree." Maria pauses, "But no." Maria says.

John splutters. "What do you mean " _no_ "? He might be planning to kill someone!" 

Maria groaned. "But we don't have any proof that he has any of that stuff other than what I saw."

"Then we'll tell George - he'll believe you - and he can have someone go in there while James is in class and investigate."

Maria hesitates. "...Sure. I just don't think we should be getting so involved in this. I want to put James behind me."

"And if this is really what I think it is, then you'll never see James again. He'll probably get in _major_ trouble. Maybe even get kicked out."

Maria sighed. "Can I just have my pizza?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> about me being unhappy with this fic: i don't know where to go with this. this whole james thing feels out of place and i'm unhappy with it. 
> 
> i have another idea i've been tossing around in my head that i may post later today, but it's still rough.


	10. where do we go from here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hahahahHAHAHAHAHA you're gonna hate me after reading this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight blood and gore!! not really but if that bothers you at all be safe!

_Theodosia Prevost_

_20 years old_

_In a relationship with Aaron Burr_

James Reynolds scrolled through her Facebook page, trying to get any information on what her classes were. He'd decided on her, mainly because she wasn't close to Maria, but it would still get his message across: _just you and me_.

He perked up when he saw a selfie she had posted recently in front of the music hall. _Morning classes SUCK, amirite?_

So she has morning classes in the music hall. He knew there were a couple of restrooms near there - knowing girls, she'd probably be in there to fix her makeup. Maria _always_ made James wait on her whenever they had their classes just so she could perfect her red lipstick.

James smiled, satisfaction pooling in his chest, and turned around in his chair to stand up and go into the kitchen. He had known that someone had shown up and immediantly ran out earlier, but it probably wasn't anyone. Just a drunk kid who didn't know where they were going. 

In the kitchen, the knives and baggies were still laid out. As James examined them, he decided on a short, yellow, rubber-gripped knife, little words engraved in the side. It would be long enough to kill her, but short enough to conceal easily.

He grabbed his backpack from beside the door and loaded the rest of the baggies and knives into it. His plan was to place a _Maintenance_ sign on the door, then kill Theo, proceeding to remove all her organs and send them to all of Maria's friends.

When her friends realized that she could get them all killed, surely they would leave her. _Especially_ Eliza.

\---

"Okay." Alex said to his group of gathered friends. "We're here today to discuss a Mr. James Reynolds."

"Who," John added, "is believed to be planning something pretty deadly. Maria?"

"Yeah. I decided to go look in Reynolds' room before lunch today and see what he was doing. He hadn't texted me but once all morning and I felt like something was up. I get in there and on the kitchen counter - _knives_. Tons of em'. Along with that, baggies labeled with names of organs. I don't know what he's planning, but it's not good - and I fear that it has something to do with all of us."

"What makes you say that?" Thomas asked.

"He tried to rape me." Everyone gasped. Eliza scooted closer to Maria. "I'm okay now, don't worry. But right before he did, he asked me who I was with that night I was in Thomas' room. I told him Eliza, and that's when he went after me. I- I think he wants to kill you guys so he can have me. Because he sent me-" she pulled out her phone and passed it around, "- _this_ text today." 

"The pieces fit, Maria, but do you really think it's that serious?" Hercules asked.

"Knowing James - _yes._ "

_\---_

They decided as a group that they would all have someone with them at all times. Coincidentally, everyone and their significant others had classes together. 

As Theodosia and Aaron walked across campus, Theo asked if she could use the restroom quickly.

" _Pleeeaaseee_? I'll only be a minute." Aaron frowned. "I'll be safe, babe."

"Okay." Aaron said, sighing.

Theo skipped off to the restroom, not noticing the man hidden in the shadows. When she entered the bathroom, it was quiet, and she hummed to herself as she perfected her eyeliner and lipstick. 

When she was done, she turned - and screamed.

A man was in the doorway - door _locked_ \- and was brandishing a small knife. He had a mask on and a large backpack was slung over his shoulders. Theo could see his smirk through the mask as he raised the knife.

Theo, in a state of shock, could do nothing as the knife pierced her heart, breaking the skin smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY wow i am a tERRIBLE person
> 
> i'm taking a break from this fic. not for too long, just a week or two. i'm gonna let some ideas rattle around in my brain for a while, make a clear plan for this fic. i am working on another fic right now that won't be as long as this one - just one chapter, i believe.
> 
> please don't unsub or anything because this fic is not over!
> 
> i love all of you sooo much - the amount of hits and comments is kinda overwhelming tbh. but it makes me happy that i can make other people happy with my words.
> 
> see you back here soon!


	11. the boys are bACK

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shit goes dOWN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am back!!! i missed you guys tbh bc the wifi SUCKED at my camp and i couldn't do shit. also i didn't read this after i wrote it so sorry for errors + typos.

Aaron watched Theo enter the restroom and he sighed. There really wasn't anything to worry about - Theo had no connections to Maria - but, he had seen James Reynolds in his classes and knew what he was like. _Unforgiving. Heartless. Manipulative._

Aaron's foot tapped as he waited for Theo. He heard a door slam, but thought nothing of it and looked away at a bird nibbling on some bread crumbs by a bench. A _ka-thunk_ snapped him out of his daydreaming, head whipping around to look at the bathroom door. Still closed.

Aaron waited a couple of minutes before more movement occuree. A smear of black sprinted out of the bathroom door, heavy bag slapping in the distance. A pool of red was all Aaron could see before the door slammed shut.

 _Theo,_  He thought. A numbness spread through his veins as he sprinted to the door, mind going blank. His shoes slapped on the concrete, and when he reached the door, he flung it open.

Theodosia was lying in a pool of dark blood, long cut extending from neck to belly button. It was haphazardly cut, rough edges framing her empty body - it _appeared_ to be, anyways. Aaron wasn't a doctor, but he didn't think the inside of a body was a giant red hole. There appeared to be a small wound in Theo's back, too. 

He blacked out for a second, leaning against the doorframe for support. _My Theo,_ he thought as he shut his eyes, trying to erase what he'd just seen from his memory. No such luck. He sighed, standing up and opening his eyes, doing what he alays did in these situations. _Assess_.

1) Theo's dead.

2) Man who (presumably) killed Theo was wearing black and had a filled backpack.

3) Maria said that James had bags labeled with organs and such.

Conclusion: James killed Theo.

Good. Aaron was proud of himself for figuring that out in around 14.3 seconds - new record, if he remembered correctly. He then cursed himself for opening the door. The fingerprints that may have been there were probably long gone now. Still, he took care in not moving from where he was, pulling his phone out.

 **coolerthancool:** Alex, come to the bathroom by the music building now.

 **hamtheman:** im in class?????

 **coolerthancool:** It's about James Reynolds. 

 **hamtheman:** shit, okay. you and theo alright?

 **coolerthancool:** I'll explain when you get here.

Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Aaron carefully opened the door, letting it close before sinking to the concrete and letting out all of his emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short bc i'm tired but updated bc i promised you guys. 
> 
> also I AM SO SORRY but i've just been told i will be in NASHVILLE of all places until tuesday. uugggghhhhhhhhh. which means no updates until wednesday :,((((( 
> 
> i hope you had a good 4th of july!! celebrating freedom and john adams + jefferson dying
> 
> have a good day!!!


	12. dear theodosia, what to say to you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> maria get shit DONE around here

Alex hurriedly stood up in the middle of his class, casting a _whoops,_ _sorry_  glance in his teacher's direction, and gathered his things before rushing out of the room. He flipped his scarf around his neck as he speed-walked to the bathroom, glancing at his phone occasionally to see if Aaron had said anything else.

He pushed the door open of the building he was in, and turned 360 degrees before remembering which way to go. Eventually he found himself staring down at a tearful Aaron Burr, his friend's head in his hands. Aaron looked up and smiled, then looked between the bathroom door and Alex. "Have you seen her yet?"

"No." Alex shook his head, quickly rubbing a hand over his face. "Is it bad?"

"She's- um, how you say... fuck it. I'll show you." Aaron said, standing too fast and shuffling on his feet for a moment before turning to face the door. He took the handle, pausing, then opened the door. "Be careful. There may be fingerprints or something in there."

Alex peeked in the doorway, immediantly stumbling backwards when he took in Theodosia's body. "She's... _empty_." Alex said, eyes wide and tounge peeking out from between his open lips.

Aaron nodded, letting the door slam - they both jumped. A moment of silence was exchanged before Alex grabbed his phone. "Should I tell Maria?"

"I'll tell Washington." Aaron said.

 

 **hamtheman:** maria, come to the bathroom by the music buildings. now. it's about reynolds.

 

 **coolerthancool:** Sir, we need your assistance in the restrooms by the music buildings immediately.

 

Nothing else was said - or _needed_ to be said - while the boys waited for Maria and Washington. There was a silent agreement that maybe, _just maybe_ , if they didn't mention what had happened, it would go away.

 _Theodosia was just... sleeping in late!_ Aaron thought. _She's sleeping and I'll go see her after classes. I can give her my notes._ He thought happily. His eyes slipped shut for a moment, an image of Theo popping into his head... 

_She was half-covered by the blanket, wearing one of Aaron's old t-shirts, hair tangled and messy where it was splayed on the pillow. Aaron was taking pictures of her despite her protests, and he let her go through them and delete the ones she didn't like-_

"Aaron!" Alex said, jerking Aaron's shoulders. He gasped and was met by Alex's panicked eyes, softening quickly with the realization that Aaron wasn't... _dead_ , or something. "You wouldn't respond to me. Sorry." Alex said, leaning back to where he was stood earlier. 

"It's fine." Aaron mumbled. The picture-perfect fantasy had long since faded from his mind, _no use in pretending she's still here_ , he thought bitterly.

The slapping of cloth shoes alterted them both to Maria, wearing pajamas and slippers that Alex thought were Eliza's. "What happened?" She asked, breathless.

"Theodosia's dead." Alex said simply.

Maria's eyes fell, her shoulders drooping. "James Reynolds... killed her?"

"Probably." Aaron mumbled. No one was meeting anyone else's eyes.

A minute and a half of silence passed - Aaron counted. "It's all my fault." Maria whispered, sliding to the ground, sitting with her legs crossed in front of her like she was in kindergarten.

Alex shot Aaron a panicked look which Aaron returned - _how do we deal with this?_ the unspoken question between them.

"Where are you hooligans?" A firm voice called. They sounded confused.

"Dad - I mean, we're over here, sir!" Alex called, blushing scarlet. Aaron and Theo both smirked before the confused voice appeared.

Washington appeared from around the corner, nearly tripping over Maria's small body. "What's the emergency? We've just had a student leave campus unauthorized and - oh, there's too much to do!" He cried, throwing his hands in the air.

"Well, um... Theodosia Prevost is dead." Aaron said. 

Washington gaped. "Where?" He said, turning in a circle one too many times, nearly falling over."

"In there." Alex said, pointing at the bathroom door.

"And what is Maria doing here - what are _any_ of you doing here - you have classes!"

Maria stood up suddenly, eyes flickering with a dim fire. "Aaron and Alex, find someone to get Theo taken care of. I'll walk with Washington and explain what's happened. Maybe the guy who left is James?"

All three boys stared at her. "What?"

"You're not deaf, are you?" Maria asked, a tone of annoyance in her voice. "If all you're going to do is ask questions, I'm taking the initiative to get some shit done about this." She said, stalking away from the bathrooms.

"I'm coming, I'm _coming_ \- _wait_ , Maria, these legs don't work like they used to-" Washington called as he scuttled off after Maria. Aaron and Alex stared at each other before walking off to find someone to help them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i updated my fics on the same day HALLELUJAH
> 
> updates will be whenever really *shrugs* sorry
> 
> comments !! are !! great !! they make me so happy pLEASE i love reading them
> 
> also if you haven't watched I Made America DO IT NOW IT'S THE GREATEST THING EVER
> 
> okay byeeeeeeeee fam


	13. angelicaaa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't think of a chapter title lol

Maria shut the door to Washington's office and slid down it to sit on the floor. She scooted to the side, in case he opened the door, before laying her head in her hands and groaning as quietly as she could. _This is all so frustrating_ , she thought, _Why couldn't I have just met Eliza first?_ The thought of Eliza made Maria perk up a little and she pulled out her phone to see if Eliza had texted he at all.

 

 **cinnamon:** hey babe! wanted to see if you were up to get some lunch after class? i know all the crap with reynolds is shitty, but i'd love to see your face <3

 **itme:** <333 i'd love to see your face too, dear, i actually need to talk to you about some stuff regarding reynolds. it's... pretty serious, actually. meet at the cafeteria? 

 **cinnamon:** sounds awesome :)

 **itme:** great! love yoouuuuu

 **cinnamon:** love you toooo

 

 **kindacool:** MARIAAAAAA 

 **kindacool:** i haven't seen you in a while and i miss you

 **kindacool:** but just remember that james and i keep a constant supply of ice cream in our room and if you need to cry i am here

 **kindacool:** eliza can come too

 **itme:** THOMAS I LOVE YOU YA BIG SAP

 **kindacool:** :)

 

Maria smiled and stood up, suddenly remembering that she was wearing slippers. It made her laugh, and she walked to the cafeteria in a slightly better mood than she had been.

\---

James Reynolds was sitting in a room that was part of a larger building far away from the campus of G.W. College. A Facebook profile was pulled up on his laptop screen, the only light in the room. He only looked away from the screen when someone opened the door, setting a cup of coffee on his desk. James thanked them, and they nodded, retreating out of the room and closing the door. James turned back to the screen, smiling as he re-read the name for what felt like the fiftieth time.

_Angelica Schuyler_

Oh, the things he could do to Angelica. He could take her far, far away - farther than this building - and keep her there, demanding that Maria be brought to him in exchange for Angelica's life. He could keep her on the brink between life and death until Maria was rightfully _his_ , and they could finally be happy together.

The fantasies swirling in his mind only made him more excited as he scrolled, once again, through her Facebook page.

\---

"Did I tell you about the time Alex accidentally misgendered Peggy and he ran out of the room crying, before coming back with a spray bottle of water and telling Peggy ze could spray him as much as ze wanted to?" Eliza said, laughing. They were telling stories to ease the weight of the information Maria had just told Eliza.

"I think you did," Maria said, "but tell it again because it's one of my favorites." _And because your voice is like honey over chocolate_ , Maria thought.

"Well-" Eliza was cut off by Maria's phone buzzing. She groaned and leaned back in her chair dramatically.

"Sorry." Maria said, laughing, which made Eliza laugh, too. "Let me check this real quick and we'll get back to your story."

 

 **gwashington:** You know the box of junk we found in James' room earlier? Found a list of names - guess who's next after Theodosia? Angelica. Get to my office ASAP.

Maria swayed in her chair, Eliza reaching out to steady her. "Woah," Eliza said, "calm down. Take a deep breath or two." When Maria did as she was told, she wordlessly handed her phone to Eliza. Eliza raised an eyebrow but took it anyway, a hand covering her mouth as she read the text. "Oh, God." She breathed, Maria nodding. "We need to get Angelica. _Now_."

 

 **cinnamon:** WHERE IS ANGELICA WHERE DID ANY OF YOU SEE HER LAST

 **twopints:** calm. down. what's wrong?

 **cinnamon:** ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION _PLEASE_

 **shots:** she went to her room? i think anyways

 **shots:** i'll go check

 **cinnamon:** BE CAREFUL PLEASE

 **itme:** we'll explain after we find angelica, guys

 **coolerthancool:** Is this like what happened with Theo?

 **kindacool:** what happened with theo

 **hamtheman:** shit

 **coolerthancool:** shit

 **itme:** shit

 **coolerthancool:** we'll explain after angelica is safe, okay?

 **coolerthancool:** it's tricky

 

Eliza jumped up out of her seat, dragging Maria along with her and talking a mile a minute. "So Peggy is getting Angelica, we're going to George's office, and Aaron will explain Theo later-"

Maria stopped for a moment, Eliza only realizing after a second and having to walk back a few steps to be by Maria. She made a noise that sounded like a prompt to talk, so Maria did. "Calm. _Down_. Angelica will be fine, Peggy will be fine, _everything will be okay_."

Eliza took a breath before grabbing Maria's arm again, pulling her along to George's office. Maria sighed, letting her girlfriend drag her across campus.

\---

Angelica pulled her into a messy ponytail, mentally preparing herself to write her essay, when a knock sounded on her door. She looked up, confused, when the knock came again. It was loud, impolite, and she could hear someone shuffling on the other side of the door.

"If this is some freshmen trying to play a prank, they are _not_ going to be happy in a few seconds." She mumbled, stalking over to the door. "What do you want?" She said tiredly, opening the door, then quickly shutting it. "Shit. Shit. _Shit_." Angelica said, willing her heart rate to slow down. 

A man in all black was standing on the other side of the door, and he had a knife in his hand.

The man kicked the door, shaking it rather violently, and Angelica began to pray to whoever - or _whatever_ \- was up there, letting her eyes slip shut as if she could wake up from a bad dream. She realized too late she had left the door unlocked, and the man tried opening it, her finges scrabbling to push the door shut. She closed it, too scared to move her fingers from the seam where the door met the wall. A moment later she cried out as a sharp pain pricked at her fingers. She was helpless as she pulled her hands away, seeing blood on her fingers. The man had shoved his knife between the door and the wall.

Angelica ran away from the door as it opened again, the man barging into the room. She stared at him for a second before - _Peggy?!_ \- ran up behind him and threw hir arms around his neck. "Not today, fucker!" Ze yelled, his knife flying out of his hand in surprise. Angelica grabbed the knife from the floor as the man turned in circles, trying to throw Peggy off. Ze continued to yell nonsense in his ears until he shook hir off, running out of the room and into the window that was in the hallway. It broke, glass shards spraying everywhere, and Angelica could see the man limping across the parking lot rather quickly. He eventually began running, down the street and off of campus.

Peggy looked up from the floor. Hir forehead was bleeding, lip busted, but ze was smiling wildly at Angelica. "Did I do good?"

\---

"Fucking _shit!_ " James yelled as he slammed the door of the building he was staying at. A couple of people sitting on couches looked at him oddly, but he ignored them and stalked off to his room.

Outside the door, a man quickly jotted down something onto a dark blue notepad.

\---

 **angel:** i am safe now

 **shots:** i saved her

 **kindacool:** can you explain theo now?

 **coolerthancool:** I have places to be.

 **itme:** i have an eliza to love

 **hamtheman:** WHY DO I GET LEFT WITH IT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> place your bets as to who the man outside the door is ooOOOhhhHHHH 
> 
> fun fact: i came out to two of my friends and my sister as bi and it turns out they are all also bi so that's really great!!! i'm just really happy about that tbh!!! yay!!!
> 
> i don't why i'm telling this to a bunch of strangers but it made me happy and i'm in a happy mood now!!!
> 
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	14. spy on the inside, that's right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which is try to make up for last chapter when literally no one mourned properly over theo and i apologize because theo is precious and lovely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is short yikes
> 
> un-proofread bc i'm lazy

**kindacool:** anyone who wants to come to our room tonight is welcome to! i know the past day has been hectic and me and james thought it would do some good to have a good cry together.

 

Everyone was seated in Thomas and James' living room, minus Theo, for obvious reasons. Aaron was leaning on Alex shoulder, John, Herc, and Laf all sitting by each other. Maria and Eliza sat on the couch by Thomas and James, Peggy and Angelica on the floor at the feet of Maria and Eliza.

A broken sob from Aaron broke the silence that had been lingering for a few minutes, causing a chain reaction of sniffles, tissues being pulled out of the _fifth box_ , and tears being swiped from cheeks. Maria almost felt like she was intruding - she hadn't known Theo all that well and was more shaken by the fact that her ex-boyfriend was killing her friends in order to make her love him. Eliza had assured her that no one would mind her there, if the hugs exchanged as soon as everyone had shown up indicated anything. 

"I can't believe she's gone." Aaron whispered. Alex rubbed his hand up and down the man's back, and he nodded along with what Aaron was saying. "It's just... I didn't really have a chance to fully recognize my emotions until now and-" He sniffed again, rubbing his face into Alex's armpit. 

"I think you speak for us all." Thomas said quietly. Madison nodded and ran a hand through Thomas' hair as he continued. "I don't think _any_ of us knew what we were getting into-" James' eyes widened and he tried to shush Thomas, but Thomas stood up anyways, looking around at his friend's confused faces. "-when we met _Maria_  over here." He pointed at Maria and Eliza opened her mouth to speak, but Thomas pressed on. "It seems almost odd that all this crap started happening as soon as Maria showed up." He said thoughtfully.

" _You fucker_." Eliza said quietly. Maria rubbed her hand up and down Eliza's arm, but she pushed her away and stood up tomface Thomas. "Maria had _nothing_ to do with _any_ of this, _okay?!_ " Eliza yelled, waving her arms in Thomas' face.

He looked down at her smugly. "How do you know?"

"Because I _trust_  Maria." Eliza said, her words laced with passion and fire. "And I don't accuse people of assisting in _murder_ - for God's sake, Thomas, think about what you're saying."

Maria ignored the tears on her face as she raced out of the living room into the bathroom, locking the door. Eliza stared after her, opening her mouth to say something but closed it quickly. Angelica whistled. "God, Thomas, I hope you're satisfied, you _dick_."

Eliza looked at Thomas again, his body visibly slouching at Angie's comment, before rushing off to the bathroom. When she tried the door, it was locked, and she could hear sniffling from inside the bathroom. "Maria? Babe? It's Eliz-"

"I _know_  it's you, Eliza." Came Maria's muffled voice. She sounded like her throat was clogged up with mucus from crying. 

Eliza waited a moment, listening to Maria's labored breathing. "Can I come in?"

The door unlocked and opened a bit, allowing Eliza to slip inside. She shut the door before looking at Maria, trying to hide her cringe as she did. Maria was sitting against the bathtub, makeup streaming down her cheeks, eyes red and puffy, nailbeds ripped apart from her nervous habits. The ends of her jacket sleeves were covered in makeup from where she was trying to wipe it away. Eliza whimpered and hurried to grab a towel from under the sink before running warm water over it, sitting next to Maria and gently wiping away her messy makeup. When she was done, she made Maria take her jacket off because it was messy, laying it beside Maria before facing her. "Talk to me."

Maria inhaled, held her breath for a few seconds, before exhaling. "I thought I could trust Thomas." Eliza nodded. "And then he goes and accuses me of - _what_ , working with James, of all things? Does he really think I could what Reynolds did to Theo without a pint of shame?"

"I know, I know, Thomas _can_ be a huge bag of dicks sometimes. I think he was just letting his emotions take over and he wasn't thinking clearly." Eliza said. Maria shrugged, her head hung against her chest. Eliza noticed and put two fingers under her chin and gently propped her head up. "Just know that nothing in this world could ever replace you, Maria. You are utterly and beautifully _priceless_."

Maria smiled for exactly one second before bursting into tears. She tried to speak through her crying. "I-I don't deserve y-you, Eliza, _fuck_ , how did I get so lucky-"

" _Shh_..." Eliza whispered, smiling at Maria. "I just want you to know that James Reynolds is not a part of you anymore. You're _Maria_ , okay?"

"Okay." Maria said quietly. "Can we go back out?"

"Of course, darling, anything you want." Eliza said sweetly. She stood up, helping Maria as well, before exiting the bathroom.

Immediantly they were bombarded by Thomas who was talking a mile a minute. "Maria, I am _so_ sorry, I feel _so_ bad and I wasn't thinking right - I'm also doing this because Angelica will _actually_ kill me if I don't, but that's besides the point -"

" _Thomas_." Eliza and Maria said at the same time. They looked at each other before Maria continued. "I forgive you. Just... think a little more before you speak, okay?"

"Okay." Thomas said quietly, blushing. He led them back into the living room where, surprisingly, Washington had joined the group. He looked out of place among all the students in his professional blazer and slacks. 

Maria and Eliza took their places on the couch before George started talking. "As you know, there have multiple attacks as well as attempted attacks-" He looked at Angelica,"-on students today. I'm telling you all this because you are the group of students most affected by this and I don't want this all around campus. We can't really prevent people seeing what happened to Theo-" Burr sniffled and Washington realized too late that that was still a sensitive topic, "-but we can prevent people knowing what happened to Angelica, and I would ask that you all do that, please. Many of you can guess who it was, but I myself will not say any names." Everyone knew who he was referring to. "You'll be pleased to know that we have a lead on where they have left to outside of campus. It's a building, almost like an apartment, and we have reason to believe that he is staying there." He paused. "How do we know this? Well, we had a "spy" of sorts track him down and keep notes on him - Hercules Mulligan."

Herc blushed as everyone _ooed_ and _ahhed_ and congratulated him on what he'd done. Only one person wasn't smiling - Lafayette. They were stoic beside Herc. Suddenly, they stood up and walked down the hallway, back to the bathroom where Maria and Eliza had been. They threw Maria's jacket out before closing the door and locking it. 

Everyone stared at each other before Herc stood up and followed them. Washington looked around. "Does this always happen?"

Hercules knocked on the door, hearing Laf's quiet whimpers. They were trying to hold their tears in, Herc could tell, probabky to salvage their makeup. "Laf, honey-"

" _Go away_." They said as loudly as they could, warble evident in their voice. "I'm _f-fine_."

"I'm not leaving until you explain why you got all upset about a simple thing."

"A simple thing, Herc? You spied on a _murderer_ \- you could've gotten _killed!_ " Laf sobbed. "A-and I would've never seen you again-" Their breathing was becoming more forced and Herc could tell they were quickly becoming lightheaded.

"Babe, calm down and let me in, okay?" Herc said. He heard Laf scooting to unlock the door, then scooting back against the tub. When he opened the door, Laf pulled them onto the floor and against their side, ignoring the fact that the door was open still. They cried into Herc's shoulder, whimpering about " _you could've died_ " and " _I'm not ready to live without you_ ". It made Herc's heart swell that Laf cared about him so much, and he gently rubbed Laf's back. "I'm not dying yet, babe." He said.

"I just want you to be careful." Laf mumbled.

"I know, I know." Herc said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as the summary says, i wrote this because i totally didn't realize that "holy shit someone died" and a couple of lovely people pointed this out to me. sorry!
> 
> i hope you will accept this as my apology :)


	15. till then

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> reynolds makes a hasty decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minor depictions of violence??? yeah
> 
> not proofread

James Reynolds pounded his fist on the desk, hunching over and screaming into his other closed fist. _It was supposed to work! Godamnit, James, can't you do anything right?!_ He sighed, standing up straight and assessing the situation. He was _supposed_ to have killed Angelica two days ago. But then her dumb sister showed up and jumped him, startling him and ruining his attack. He still managed to escape, _barely_. A guy in a bandana saw him, though, and quickly scribbled some crap into a notebook as Reynolds ran out of the campus. Maybe he didn't see him. Maybe he was writing notes on something else. It was unlikely, however, and Reynolds knew it. There was someone watching him, and they wanted him found. An idea sprung into his head, but it would take planning and careful consideration. However, it still excited him.

The risk James was going to take was calculated, but, _man_ , was he bad at math.

\---

Theodosia's funeral was two days after she she had been killed. Then attendees consisted only of her immediate family and her group of friends, but the grief among all of them was enough to compensate for the empty seats. They were all seated in the first two rows, everyone by their significant other, except Aaron was on the end and Alex beside him who was beside John. The service was short, Aaron spoke for a bit, but was too overcome with grief to finish what he was going to say. The Schuylers all spoke as well, all their speeches equally heartbreaking.

When the service was done, Lafayette watched as Hercules slipped out. They frowned and sighed. They knew that what he was doing would benefit them all in the end, but it still worried them that he might get hurt or even killed on the job. They brushed those thoughts as they saw Maria, sweeping forward to capture her in a hug. She was talking with the Schuylers and they hummed curiously. "What's happening here?" Laf asked.

"We're having a sleepover tonight in Eliza's room." Maria explained. "Just to get together and hang out, relax after the past day's events."

"I understand completely." Lafayette said, smiling. "I hope you all have a good time!"

"Thanks, Lafayette." The four girls said at the same time. They half-smiled, unsure if laughing was appropriate at a funeral. Soon they were distracted again by Alex or someone else, trying to keep their minds off of what was happening around them at the moment. 

People began to leave soon after, Aaron requesting to be alone at the burial. The Schuylers and Maria left together, hailing a taxi to take back to campus. The car ride there was silent, a sniffle or hastily wiped tear the only sound or movement all the way to campus.

As soon as they were up to Eliza's room, they all changed - having left pj's there before the funeral - and settled in the living room with unhealthy amounts of sugar. They decided on the movie 1776, a classic that was lighthearted and fun - a perfect distraction from their messed up lives. They were in the middle of _Till Then_ when a knock came from the door. "I'll get it." Said Peggy, dislodging hirself from between Angelica and Eliza.

"I'll go with you." Angie said, standingup and following Peggy. Eliza looked worriedly at Maria, but Maria held her hand tighter and mouthed "They'll be okay", trying to relax Eliza. She untensed, but still seemed worried as Angie and Peggy opened the door.

The events following were a blur to Maria. A scream, tearing flesh, baggies being opened, Eliza throwing up on the floor, Maria falling on the floor as she tried to stand, Peggy's face as ze was killed with a knife to hir throat, Angelica's arm twisted violently in the wrong direction, rope, blindfolds, gags, knife held threateningly between her shoulder blades as she was marched down the hallway into a car out side, holding Eliza's soft, small hand in the car, being pushed out of the car and onto rough gravel, and being led to where she was currently - in a locked room with no windows, crying into Eliza's chest as Eliza's own tears wet her hair, holding each other like there was no tomorrow.

The lyrics to _Till Then_ were suddenly all too real in this situation. 

_Till then, I am as I ever was and ever shall be, yours, yours, yours, yours..._

\---

John was the last to meet Herc, Laf, Alex, Aaron, Thomas, James, and George downstairs the next morning. They were still waiting on the girls to show up, assuming that nothing bad had happened because Hercules hadn't seen any suspicious activity last night on campus or around it. "Hey." John greeted them, sitting beside Alex who was by Aaron. He grabbed Alex's free hand, the other on Aaron's knee, knowing immediately that Alex was only comforting Aaron. John leaned on Alex's shoulder, only looking up when Lafayette checked their watch and frowned. 

"We were supposed to meet an hour ago. Where are they?" Laf asked the group.

"I don't know." Hercules said. "Should we check their room?" When no one responded, he shrugged. "Can't hurt to look. I'll go."

"Be safe." Lafayette added as Hercules kissed them, hugging them once tightly before leaving.

\---

Hercules _swears_ that nothing happened last night. He had even stayed up late, despite Laf's protesting, to check the campus twice before going to bed. He turned the corner onto the hallway and immediantly knew something was up. A stench like rotting meat filled the hallway, odd, red stains along the hall, too. Herc walked slowly to Eliza's room, knowing in his mind what had happened, his fears confirmed when he opened the door.

Angelica and Peggy, misshapen and bloodied on the floor, and a note on Peggy's chest.

"It's you and I, Maria, just you and I." Herc read to the room. He shot off a quick text to Lafayette, telling them to get up here ASAP. 

A single tear slipped down his cheek, the only emotion he was willing to show. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to give you an idea, i have seven more chapters planned, all of which will be about as long as my chapters usually are.
> 
> thanks for reading!!!


	16. Oh No™ pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> james and his friend have their way with eliza and maria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is EXTREMELY graphic!!!! please do not read if you will be bothered/upset by rape, extreme non-con, torture, bondage, forced sex, etc!!!! 
> 
> TL;DR: james and his dick friend benedict make eliza and maria do nasty shit because they're bags of dicks
> 
> BE SAFE
> 
> (all the "James"s in this chapter are James Reynolds + not proofread yikes)

Eliza woke, still curled beside Maria in the corner of the room farthest from the door, to the sound of a piece of paper fluttering to the floor. She was too tired to see who it was that opened and closed the door, but heard the receding footsteps and waited until they were silent to crawl to the note and see what it said. Maria complained weakly as Eliza slipped away, a light kiss shushing her for the moment. The note was hastily written, Eliza could tell, but got its message across. 

_I want all your clothes in a pile in ten minutes._

Eliza shuddered and grimaced, Maria finally sitting up at the same time. She saw Eliza and frowned. "What's that?" She crawled slowly to the note and looked at it, face going pale. "Shit."

"Yeah." Eliza said, sitting uncomfortably beside Maria. 

"Wait... you're... _oh no_." Maria said suddenly, hand flying over her mouth.

"Yeah." Eliza said again, "I am. Not that you feeling sexual attraction will make this anymore enjoyable, but-"

"No, no, it won't, but you don't feel _any_ , do you?"

"A little bit. Kisses are fine, but full blown _sex_ is a _big_ no-no."

"I'm so sorry." Maria said quietly, scooting closer to Eliza and pulling her back into her arms. Eliza whimpered and took a curl of Maria's hair between her fingers, playing with it absentmindedly. "About everything, I mean."

"No-" Eliza started, but Maria cut her off.

"No, Thomas _was_ right. _I_ brought all of this crap into your friend's lives-"

"They're your friends, too-"

"No, _I_ was the one who met James, _I_ was the one who started all this shit-"

" _Hey_." Eliza said forcefully. "We'll talk more later, but I feel like whatever's happening will be worse if we don't follow his instructions." She gestured to the note. 

"Yeah, of course." Maria murmured, beginning to slip her shirt over her head as she stood up. Her shorts came next, Eliza's hands still hovering at the hem of her shirt. Maria reached over, helping her stand, and directed her hands _up_ , Eliza's shirt and shorts soon in a pile with Maria's. They both unclasped their bras and stepped out of their panties, too, Eliza moving to take Maria's hand after a moment of semi-awkward silence.

The door opened and Eliza jumped, squeezing Maria's hand. James stepped into the room, followed by a wide-jawed man with a ponytail at the nape of his neck. James smiled at Maria and reached a hand forward to caress her face, but she instinctively jumped back, James frowning and sighing. "Struggling will only make this worse, darling." He chided, reaching his hand again and smiling when she didn't flinch. "Good." He turned to address both the girls now, his friend eyeing them up like pieces of meat. "Come with me." He pointed at the door and started walking out, both the girls following him as his friend took up the rear. "This is Benedict, by the way." James said as they headed down the hallway. 

They reached the end quickly, a large, wooden door in front of them. James unlocked it and looked back at the girls. "Cover your eyes." They did, and after a loud squeak and being pushed in the room, James told them they could open their eyes. Eliza gasped first, Maria too stunned to speak, the boys laughing cruelly.

If you thought Fifty Shades Of Gray was bad, this was one of the circles of hell. There were metal tables set up all around, racks of toys, whips, handcuffs, lighters, candles, and blindfolds lining the walls. There seemed to be harnesses hanging from the ceiling, coming up from the floor, off of the wall, and on the tables, too. 

James grinned and began to push Eliza toward the floor harnesses, Benedict pulling Maria's arms behind her and forcing her to the table. 

 

\---

 

When the harnesses were around Eliza, her legs spread and bent, arms extended to either side, and chest all bound up, James blindfolded and gagged her as well. There was a strange white noise buzzing in her ears which made it hard for her to hear what anyone was doing, making the insertion of two of James' fingers more of a surpise than they would've been, considering the blindfold. She groaned as he curled them, rubbing painfully against her walls. He too-quickly added a third finger, and she felt something warm and wet come out of her - blood? She squirmed helplessly, ears perking up when she heard a scream coming from across the room. A noise that sounded like skin slapping on metal stopped abruptly, a man (probably Benedict) grunting as something that sounded like ropes were being flung around. Eliza bet that Maria was being tied to the table, her thoughts suddenly abandoned as James removed his fingers and insterted a thick plastic-feeling thing in their wake. Eliza tried to breathe deeply and get used to the toy when it began to buzz. She gasped, clenching around it involuntarily, and James laughed cruelly from wherever he was. 

The toy _was_ thick, raised ridges that teased her walls, and a flared base that kept it from slipping or moving out. The possible blood from earlier was caked around her opening and on the floor, only half-dried, if the squelching noises were any indication. A female moan was coming from someone - Maria, seeing as she was the only other girl here - then a choked-off gasp and the slapping of leather on skin. The noises stopped, and Eliza was suddenly all too aware of the buzzing inside of her. It was too much, too fast, too hard, too big, too - and, oh! The toy shifted suddenly, James cackling from above her, and it focused in on a sensitive spot. She whined as an unhappy warmth pooled in her stomach, the feeling she recognized as arousal. Another moan came from somewhere, and she knew from the vibration in her chest that it was her own.

Panic sharpened her senses. Wasn't she asexual? Was she lying to herself and everyone she knew for all these years? What if asexuality wasn't even _real_? Should she even be considered under the label LGBT+?

The toy stopped suddenly and was pulled from her just as quickly, her harnesses being unstrapped as well. The blindfold and gag stayed on, and she, too boneless to fight against it, was pushed to the table and strapped in again. Sounds began to flood towards her - Benedict's grunting and choked off moan, Maria's sobbing and panicked " _no, no, no!_ ", James' laughter and a meaty slap that sounded like a high-five... and then, _oh_. _That_ was a new feeling. There were two hands on her spread knees, a man's hot and heavy breath on her neck, a finger around her opening that stung like an itch, and the warm wetness had returned. But there was the feeling of the toy back again, though this toy felt like it was... a penis? She'd only felt a penis _inside_ her once - she's asked Alex to do it so she could see what it felt like. She'd thrown up immediately after.

She whimpered as James (she assumed it was James, anyways) thrusted faster, the bile rising in her throat. She swallowed it down and tried to distract herself, but jumped when she heard James' voice across the room. That must mean... _Benedict_. She didn't even know who Ben was, just that he was in this with James and that he was most likely as fucked up as James was, too. 

Ben stilled, suddenly, smirking into Eliza's chest. She could tell from the scrape of his teeth across her breast. When he pulled away (and out) she felt more sticky warmth coming from her vagina. He jammed a finger inside her and pushed the fluid back in, holding the finger there until he removed it to jam another toy inside her. This toy felt smaller in length than Benedict's penis and the first toy, but was thicker. It kept all the strange fluids inside her - blood, and even possibly semen. When Benedict had pulled out after stilling inside her, there seemed to be more fluid than before. 

Fuck. _Fuck_. If she was pregnant... a-and what about Maria? What would _she_ think? She was left on the table for some amount of time - she couldn't tell how long - until the toy was pulled from her roughly. The gag and blindfold were removed from her as well, the lights nearly blinding after so long. Benedict and James stood at the door, Maria still on the table on the opposite side of the room. Eliza was still on her table, and she closed her eyes for a second to adjust to the room. When she opened them again, she was being unstrapped by Benedict and Maria was standing with James holding her arms behind her back. There was blood and semen running down Maria's thighs as well, and when Benedict was done unstrapping her he picked her up and stood her up, stumbling for a second. When she regained her footing, they were suddenly both being pushed to the door and back down the hallway. Their cell-like room was approaching quickly, and Maria and Eliza were pushed inside carelessly.

"Get dressed, you sluts." James said, laughing. "Don't act shy, Eliza, you were moaning like a bitch in heat." Eliza blushed, the door slamming shut loudly. Maria and her sat in silence for a while until Eliza scooted closer to Maria. Soon, they were cuddling, crying into each other's hair, chest, shoulders, _everything_. They dressed soon after, Eliza noticing how Maria winced at the rub of her clothing on her sore skin. She wanted to ask Maria if one of them came inside her, too, but didn't think it was appropriate. Unless she was _actually_ pregnant there was nothing to worry about. 

Eliza fell asleep to Maria's humming of some song she couldn't place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry god
> 
> i was originally going to add maria's pov but i sent satan to do some chores while i wrote
> 
> p.s. i've been watching turn: washington's spies (just finished season 2!!!) and i chose the name benedict cause fUCK benedict arnold


	17. we wait with dread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys after Maria and Eliza are gone.

"Hercules, dear, you _know_ I don't like it when you sneak out at night." Lafayette was pacing the length of their kitchen and talking to Hercules, who was sitting on a barstool behind the counter.

"Yes, I know, Laf, but it's for Maria-"

"Do you ever think about me?" Hercules almost missed Lafayette's words, as they were whispered so quietly, but he heard them nonetheless.

"Of course I do-"

"Then act like it," Laf said, turning to face Hercules, "because I don't believe you sometimes."

Hercules stood up, walked around the counter, and wrapped his arms around Lafayette's tall frame. Laf leaned into the touch, laying their head on Herc's shoulder. "I'm sorry," Herc whispered into Laf's hair. "I'll try and be better, okay?"

"I just wanna know where you're going."

"I know, I know, and I'll make sure to tell you."

"Good."

"Good."

 

\---

 

"Thomas?" James opened the door of his and Thomas' bedroom, the door squeaking quietly, and sighed when he saw Thomas. "You can't stay in here all day."

Thomas was sitting on the bed, a portable, wooden desk in his lap, listening to soft music while writing letters. He added a flowery signature to the end of the one he was currently writing, adding it to a stack beside him. It looked as if it was about to topple over. "I'm writing, James-"

"You're writing to Maria and Eliza."

There was a sudden silence in the room as Thomas paused for a moment before grabbing another sheet of paper. "Yes, James, that's exactly what I'm doing. I'll send them later-"

"Thomas, you can't send them, we don't know where they are."

"Nonsense, nonsense - they're probably out seeing a movie or something."

"Thomas-" James walked towards his boyfriend, tilting his head upwards to makes Thomas look James in the eyes. "Maria and Eliza are _gone_. We don't know where the _fuck_ they are, or we'd have some clue of how to get them back," James said forcefully.

Thomas blinked three times before shaking his head out of James' grip, frowing while writing his newest letter. "You're being silly, James, they're _here_ , they were just here, they were-"

James slams the door behind himself.

 

\---

 

"Do you remember Theodosia?" 

"Burr, it was only a few days, we've gone through this-"

"Alex, do you remember?"

Alex takes a deep breath. "Yeah, Burr, I do."

Aaron smiles faintly. "I do, too. She smelled like lavender and rose, hair always up in two pigtails that split down her neck, carried a pocket-size copy of _War and Peace_ at all times-"

Alex tunes out Burr's rambling and squeezes John's hand instead. The three of them are in Alex and John's apartment, Aaron on the floor in front of the couch where Alex and John are. Aaron has a blanket around his shoulders, a mug of coffee in front of him, and his phone, a folder of pictures of Theo pulled up on it.

"-always said 'thank you' and tipped every waiter or waitress, loved those black lace-up boots, you know-"

"Yes, Burr, I know," Alex says, trying to be patient. John squeezes his hand back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen,,, i'm so, so sorry updates have been suuuuuper slow recently. i haven't been wanting to write this - not really sure why - but i'm gonna try and finish for you guys.
> 
> if you're reading this, thanks for sticking with it, pal. you're the coolest.


	18. eliza very ill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the aftermath.

"You deserve to be sick.  _Slut_ ," James spat out, spit actually spraying across Eliza's already damp forehead. She'd had a fever for the past few days - Maria could tell from her heated forehead and sore throat - and could barely move herself across the room they were being kept in. Eliza winced at the sound of James slamming the door behind him, releasing her sucked-in breath as he locked the door. Both girls, in their skimpy dresses that James insisted they wear, interlocked hands and slowly moved towards each other as James' receding footsteps echoed through the room, bodies pressed together like sardines. Eliza would make uncomfortable noises if Maria even tried to put her arms around her, so they settled for hand-holding and kisses on top of heads, for that was the kindest place to place a kiss.

Maria had been careful like this with Eliza since... well, since the night with Benedict and James (she couldn't bring herself to think, much less _speak_ the word "rape"), considering Eliza's sexuality. She wasn't sure if Eliza wanted to talk about it at _all_ , but Maria did want to know how Eliza was feeling. If she was at all concerned about either of them getting pregnant, if she was concerned about STDs or anything of the sort. 

"I'm sorry," Eliza whispered suddenly, taking in an aborted breath as she leaned forward, her head slamming on the concrete.

And suddenly, the room was silent, save for the frantic beating of Maria's pounding heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hey hey my friends
> 
> y'all know the drill "sorry for not updating, i'll be better (i won't) in the future, please keep reading and supporting me because i require validation"
> 
> (ps, if you caught the references to Preludes and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 in the title + text, you get a gold star for being the coolest)


End file.
